


Dawn's Chosen

by wingsofthenight



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arthur Dayne Bashing, Ashara Dayne Lives, Ashara Dayne is Sword of the Morning, Ashara is pissed at her brother, Elia Martell Deserves Better, Elia Martell Lives, F/F, Rhaegar Targaryen Bashing, Wish Fulfillment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:14:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28444500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wingsofthenight/pseuds/wingsofthenight
Summary: "Ashara remembered looking up at Dawn when she was but a little girl, excitedly listening to all the tales her family told her of all the previous Swords of the Morning. She had dreamed of being one of the rare female bearers of that title, of spending her life in Sunspear with Elia and being her sworn sword, laughing with their friends and family and simply being happy."Or, Ashara takes Dawn from Arthur and claims the title of Sword of the Morning, and helps save Elia and those she cares about from their fates.
Relationships: Ashara Dayne/Elia Martell
Comments: 15
Kudos: 82
Collections: Southern Renaissance (Dorne Renaissance)





	Dawn's Chosen

Ashara remembered looking up at Dawn when she was but a little girl, excitedly listening to all the tales her family told her of all the previous Swords of the Morning. She had dreamed of being one of the rare female bearers of that title, of spending her life in Sunspear with Elia and being her sworn sword, laughing with their friends and family and simply being happy.

It had taken her a long time to forgive Arthur for taking the title before she even had a chance to try, but she had.

She wished she hadn’t.

She wished for a lot of things right now, as she stood before her brother and those other two despicable _knights_ he so obviously saw as siblings rather those sharing his blood, those he was raised with, but Dawn was in her hands now, and the memories of her childhood were close at hand.

“Ash, I-“

“You are not allowed to call me that,” she hissed, turning her burning eyes on the man she wished wasn’t her brother. “You are not allowed to call me by name any longer. If you must address me, you shall address me only as Lady. Only my family and friends are allowed to call me Ash, and you are not either of those. Not any longer.”

Arthur flinched away from her, or at least as much as he could given the way he was bound.

The agony on his face made her laugh, for he brought this upon himself.

Ashara waved some of her family’s sworn men over to her. “Throw them into the back of the carts, and a quarter of you will drag them back to Starfall. Lord Allem will take over from there.” She paused, then added, “Use only one cart for them, the smallest one. We can’t have the damned prince’s _beloved_ mistress be harmed before she is dragged back to the family she betrayed.”

They nodded, doing just that. Oswell Whent and Gerold Hightower were either too out of it or smart enough to know that keeping their mouths shut was the best course of action, but their companion was not. “Ashara, please listen-“

“Why should I listen to you?” she spat, hand tightening around Dawn’s hilt. “You broke all of your vows with your actions. You betrayed all of Dorne when you willingly went with your _beloved_ prince’s plans to shame Elia. Elia, who deserves better than being surrounded by traitors like you. Gods, I hope Allem disowns you before you’re dragged to Sunspear and Prince Doran sends you to the Hellholt, because I am ashamed to share a name with you.”

She felt no pity at the way Arthur broke down at her words and offered no resistance to the soldiers tossing him into the cart.

Soon enough, the two healers they had brought with her brought Lyanna Stark out and put her in the other cart. The swell of her belly… that could be a problem.

That was a problem for later, however. They had something else to take care of right now.

“To King’s Landing. To Elia.”

Elia, who had always been the person she was closest to.

Elia, who never failed to greet her with one of her beautiful smiles, no matter what the circumstances were.

Elia, who she could never see as a sister despite all the jests because she was so much more to her.

Elia, who deserved so much better than the fate men tried to force her into.

Elia, who Ashara swore to save no matter what.

And Dawn shined brightly in her hands as she did.

* * *

Ashara spent every single stop they were forced to make practicing with Dawn.

The sword sang in her hands, far easier and smoother than any other blade she had ever held, but she could not allow herself to be complacent. A sword was only as good as it’s wielder, even if it was the famous Dawn.

Gods, if only Dawn had rejected Arthur all those years ago, and she had been able to claim it when she herself was 16. Perhaps that would have given her the courage to say something then, and at the very least she could have stood behind Elia as her sworn sword, even if none of her feelings were returned.

No, she couldn’t think about that. Not now. Not when she must look forward to what awaited them.

Fittingly, they snuck into King’s Landing at dawn. The dawn just before the damned _silver prince_ left to march on the Trident.

Good. He deserved to know he wouldn’t win, that the end to his House would come, for Dorne would not march in support of the man that threw their Princess away like trash, and the Reach and Crownlands were not enough for him to win. Dawn would not sing with his blood unless he made a move against Elia, for living and knowing the end would come thanks to his own actions was far worse.

Taking over Maegor’s Holdfast was pathetically easy. The spear and swordsmen she brought with her were leagues above the goldcloaks, and Dawn hummed in her hands with each stroke she made.

Soon enough she was stalking towards Elia’s rooms, a few soldiers following her while others went to gather Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys, and still others went to secure their escape route.

When Ashara threw open the door, it was only her prior thoughts of how living would make him suffer more that stayed her hand.

The way that Rhaegar stood in front of Elia, completely oblivious the way she was shaking in anger at everything he was doing and saying… gods, she wanted to run him through right then and there.

Elia was the first to see her, and the hateful look faded into a bright smile, something relieved Ashara far more than anything else, for if she could smile that meant everything would be okay. “Ashara!”

The damned prince whirled around to stare at her- or rather, to stare at Dawn and the blood still dripping from her sword with wide, terrified eyes. “Lady Dayne-“

Those were the only two words he was able to get out before Elia slapped him and caused him to stumble. Before he could recover, she produced a knife out of nowhere and made a cut in a low place. It was just as well that his ridiculous harp was in reach, for his shrill scream was quickly cut off by the metal getting slammed into his head and immediately knocking him out.

Elia unceremoniously dropped the harp on that man’s unconscious body before running forward and wrapping her arms around her in a tight embrace. “Ash, I… _thank you,”_ she said, voice full of emotion.

Ashara held her back just as tightly. “I wouldn’t forgive myself had anything happened to you,” she whispered.

Far too soon, they had to let go of each other.

Their hands found each other soon enough, however, and with the children following close behind them, they escaped King’s Landing and the horrors within, hand in hand.

* * *

Ashara had never quite believed in all those tales where the Princess and her beloved Knight lived Happily Ever After. Those stories always seemed to tie everything off in a little bow that seemed far too neat.

But now, lazily relaxing in the Water Gardens with her beloved Elia, watching their children laugh in the pools with their cousins?

The stories always left out the difficulties they still faced, all of the politics that came after everyone was saved, but in this moment those details didn’t matter.

All that matters was the fact that they were here and happy and _together._

**Author's Note:**

> Look, I just like this pairing. And Ashara very much deserves the title rather than Arthur.
> 
> If you're curious about what happened after this, basically they ransom Lyanna, Gerold, and Oswell to the Rebels in exchange for being left alone.
> 
> And I know I just wrote a thing where Elia bashes Rhaegar's head with his beloved harp, but it fits too well, I'm not sorry.


End file.
